The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-19
MANSFIELD'S DUAL ROLE.
He Appears to be Equally Successful
in Both.


in Both.
New YORK, Sept. 17.-Clever Richard
Mansfield has set the town talking again.
He is the most enterprising and the most
interchangeable of workers, and his reputation
has been gained in legitimate way and not
through the medium of the divorce courts
or by posing as a masher. There has not in
many years been so much preliminary talk
about play as the rehearsals Of DIR. Jekyl
and Mr. HYDE called forth The presence
OF the author of that famous book in New
York at the time did much to strengthen
the interest. Robert Louis Stephenson sat
among the audience the first night looking
chastity ill., 1t is a hard fate that the most
eminent and risinal of English novel
writers to-day should be in such wretched
health. His life has been several times
despaired of, and his present condition is pa
thetic in the last degree.
The success of Mansfeld's production is
absolute. He has added a new role to his
repertoire which will live The change
which the actor makes in his dual charac-
ter is astounding when it is realized that in
it he depends entirely Oh his art. From the
large, serene and benevolent 'Dr. Jekyl"-
which pronounced, by the way, as though
spelled Jeekyl-he twists himself instantly
into the sinister and murderous monster
Hyde. His face is distorted into the SEM
blance almost of an animal, his figure
shrinks, his arms and fingers twist them
selves into uncouth shapes and he seems an
entirely different man. The play revolves
entirely around the star, and Mansfield
reaps all the honors. This is as it should be,
for practically he does all the work.
The week has been a notable one in the
theatres for many reasons. There have
been several new plays of the farcical
variety and the long run of 'Erminie" has
been brought to a close. The success of this
opera dwarfs all other similar productions.
1t is marvellous to think of the protracted
hit it has made when it is considered that
the whole triumph is due to the theatre and
not the piece. "Erminien has been played in
London and by several companies in differ
ent cities here, but never with anything APP
preaching the success it has met with at the
Casino The seats have been sold at a
premium for weeks, and now spectators
are paying So and S4 for single seats in the
boxes The standard of excellence has
been kept up throughout, and the
management of the house deserves the
honors, Though the opera has run for
nearly two years, Mr.. Aronson continues
to improve the cast and strengthen every
weak point The troupe that now goes on
tour will rank as the best company that
ever went ont Of New York. Francis Viii
son is the peer of Dixey and Goodwin and
the most finished of character actors, while
his partner, Daboll, ranks with the best
comedians. Either of these men could star
So could either of the two leading women,
for that matter. Pauline Hall and Marie
Jansen are at the very top of the ladder
now. Lillian Russell is fallen goddess be-
side either of them. The quartette of cele-
britieS in the Casino company will be backed
up by all the original troupe. Every stick
of scenery goes along for the tour of sixteen
weeks in the six principal cities of the
union. People out of town will then have
an opportunity of passing Judgment on the
most successful theatrical production that
New York has ever known.
Mr. John A Mackay reappeared after a
long absence from the stage in very queer
and grewsome specimen of play called
Circus in Town" 1t was most Mgu-
brious failure as a piece, as there was not
the most remote chance for any one to make
any fun, the role of the leading comedian
being about as lightsome, dashing and gay
as a ten-year old mud pie 1t begins to look
as though the public had become somewhat
satiated with What scaled farcical comedy,
which usually consists of vulgar horse play
interiected bodily into more or less monot-
onous variety business. BLAKELY HALL.